Assam: Rabies awareness programme held in Sonitpur district

TEZPUR: Awareness programme on rabies was organized jointly by Sonitpur Health Services Department and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department at L.P. School, Kakalbhagi (Nath gaon) after a confirmed case of rabies in cattle was recorded under State Veterinary Dispensary, Khelmati in Sonitpur district.

 Health, Veterinary, District Administration and the local people carried out various anti-rabies activities to bring this disease under control. The programme was graced by ADC (Veterinary), Dr. Garga Mohan Das enabling a one health platform for control and prevention of rabies.

The expert panel for the meeting comprised of District Surveillance Officer (Sonitpur), SDM & HO (Bihaguri), District Veterinary Officer(Sonitpur), medical officers and Veterinary Officers of the district along with IDSP and NRCP team of Sonitpur addressed different FAQs raised by public. The symptoms of this infectious disease and all the preventive measures related to it were discussed with importance of vaccination in animals and humans with emphasis on disadvantages of traditional medicines.

 The rabies case that brought upon this awareness meeting was reported on March 13 and confirmed on March 3 post mortem. The owners and staff of SVD, Khelmati are currently receiving anti-rabies vaccination from PHC, Bandarmari. During the programme the District Veterinary Officer said that rabies is one of the most fatal, zoonotic disease. It most commonly infects the mongrel dogs on our streets and can spread easily to humans if bitten by such contaminated dogs.

Yet this disease is commonly neglected one with under reporting or no reporting at all as the main hindrances for controlling rabies. Last year, the district recorded the death of two persons by rabies in the district as recorded in IDSP and this is the first record of confirmed rabies death in Sonitpur, which is just the tip of iceberg.

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